May 2023
Dear Members and Friends,
We are delighted to be working with MineAfrica Inc, Kenyan-based Bramex Ltd and the Kenyan High Commission in Ottawa in organizing the first Kenyan-Canada Trade and Investment Mission to Toronto this June 5-7, 2023.
Meet senior business and government leaders from Kenya in Toronto this June 5-7, 2023
The overarching purpose of the mission is to raise awareness of Kenya as a business partner for Canada and to promote trade and investment opportunities between the two countries.
Registration for Canadian delegates
Specific objectives include:
- Assisting Canadian companies interested in exporting products or services to Kenya
- Assisting Canadian companies in sourcing Kenyan products and services for distribution in Canada
- Identifying investment opportunities for Canadian companies in key sectors in Kenya
- Promoting Canadian technology and expertise in key sectors for Kenya
The program will include informative presentations and interactive panel discussions, networking opportunities, B2B meetings, and site visits.
Registration for Canadian delegates
If you are interested in presenting, participating on a panel, sponsoring, hosting a site visit, or attending, please contact president@canadaafrica.ca.
Stay updated through the newsletter, social media and the official event webpage.
Upcoming in May - African Union Update
On the invitation of Global Affairs Canada, we are pleased to host the African Union Commission's delegation to Ottawa on 16 May 2023. Our forum is on the occasion of the AU Commission's Official Visit to Canada - led by the AUC Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Industry and Mining, H.E. Albert M. Muchanga.
The Chamber's programming on the African Union primarily focuses on promoting the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). As part of delivering information-sharing opportunities to accelerate trade and investment, the Chamber has curated Think Tank Perspectives.
We thank our sponsors who make this work possible, so we can better serve our members as we plan top-level programming and cutting-edge content and exclusive insights for Chamber events. We look forward to welcoming members at Africa Accelerating 2023 to continue discussions on AU-related programming - providing the opportunity to engage further with the African Union, as many did in October last year with H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary General of the AfCFTA Secretariat.
Above: A recent AfCFTA event which can be viewed here
Chamber of Mines’ Women's Day Meeting, Kinshasa
Ateau Zola addressed the second annual gathering, hosted by the Chamber of Mines of the Federation of Enterprises of Congo (FEC). On Wednesday, April 12, 2023 at the Fleuve Congo Hotel in Kinshasa, industry players gathering to focus on accelerating the role of women in the mining sector.
Ateau Zola underscored to delegates the importance of Canada as partner - as well as the role of the Chamber - during the program that included Marna Cloete, President of Canada's Ivanhoe Mines, who was among several private sector and Ministerial decision-makers. Delegates were invited to continue advancing this important agenda item at Africa Accelerating 2023 this coming October.
Recap of Recent Chamber Events
Our first quarter comprised numerous events and opportunities to accelerate Canada-Africa trade and investment - largely centred around PDAC - at which we were pleased to have hosted the largest Africa-focused mining event in North America, alongside MineAfrica.
Over 50 speakers and 500 attendees were welcomed to the Chamber's 24th Annual African Mining Breakfast & MineAfrica’s 21st Annual Investing in African Mining seminar on March 7. Read more
Industry leaders addressed hundreds of delegates at the 24th Annual African Mining Breakfast
Download the Program and African Directory which details all partner and speaker profiles – a who’s who of African and Canadian mining leaders and a great resource for doing business in Africa’s mining industry.
DRC Reception: Canada and the Democratic Republic of Congo in prime position for private sector collaboration [Français]
The ARSP, the DRC’s Regulatory Authority for Subcontracting in the Private Sector, underscored major opportunities for market-solutions, driven by Canada's private sector, at the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business VIP reception, held during PDAC.
DRC leaders underscored the trade and investment case for the Democratic Republic of Congo
Presidential representatives and DRC business leaders were welcomed by Canadian executives and investors. The case for the DRC was set out by Mr. Rock Bashala Kubindia of the Business Climate Unit in the Presidency as well as President Félix Tshisekedi's newly-appointed Director General of the Congolese Council for Battery, Denis Lecouturier. Read More
Chamber Board Chair addresses Franco-Mine 2023 during PDAC
Chair of the Board, Paula Caldwell St-Onge, addressed Franco-Mine this year at which both the Chamber and MineAfrica Inc were delighted to be a part.
During the event, the Chair recognized Chamber country members in particular for their active involvement in the organization: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, the Republic of Gabon, the Republic of Ghana, the Republic of Kenya, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Kingdom of Morocco, the Republic of Namibia, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Republic of Rwanda, the United Republic of Tanzania and the Republic of Zimbabwe.
The program was hosted at the Toronto Stock Exchange. Read More
Franco-Mine delegates during the live broadcast closing of the Toronto Stock Exchange
Africa Accelerating 2023 - 10 to 12 October [Français]
All roads lead to Toronto for Africa Accelerating this year, following last year's 3-day program on African soil in Johannesburg. We anticipate heads of governments, companies and leading decision-makers once again to gather.
We are delighted to welcome our newest Diamond Sponsor, Elephant Trade, who deliver professional technical support for major projects in engineering, construction and maintenance.
We are also pleased to have met with B2Gold recently and had a very productive discussion on Canadian investment in Africa - with a company that is the largest Canadian investor in Namibia and one of the largest Canadian investors in Mali. B2Gold has been a strong supporter of the Chamber’s activities.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was among those who addressed the event last October, joined by government heads, African Union leaders, corporate executives and entrepreneurs. Read More
Neil Reeder (VP, B2Gold) with Chamber members and associates during this year's annual Investing in African Mining Indaba in South Africa: including Karima-Catherine Goundiam (founder of B2Bee Match), Ateau Zola (Chamber Business Development), Garreth Bloor (Chamber President) and Wayne Floreani (President, MineAfrica Inc)
Exploring Free Trade Opportunities - The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
The Significance of AfCFTA for African Youth and Diaspora: Maximizing Opportunities in Trade and Investment
On March 3, 2023, the first session in the AfCFTA Series with AfriVate Hub Ltd, welcomed topic experts. Among many noted takeaways was the case that made that AfCFTA’s implementation puts Africa’s young people and women in prime position to become the drivers of a competitive and beneficial economy - through business investment and trade opportunities.
''Its implementation would create opportunities for millions of young Africans, youth and women especially, as a result of the creation of a single African market that is far larger than the current total economic share of the global economy'' says Toye Abioye (Chamber Head of Membership) who played a key role in the forum. Read More
Media Corner: Chamber Events, Leaders and Members in the Press
Canada and the Democratic Republic of Congo in prime position for private sector collaboration [African Mining Market]
The biggest African mining event in North America showcases major successes in Canada-Africa mining collaboration [ZAWYA]
The Fraser Institute’s Briefing on their Annual Survey of Mining Companies underscores insights for African excellence [MineAfrica Inc / APO Group Africa Newsroom]
Franco-Mine PDAC Delegation Closes the Market [Yahoo Finance]
Join The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business!
Chamber membership is a valuable way to join our efforts to accelerate Canada-Africa trade and investment through world-class networking and information-sharing events.
You will find our membership form here to sign up today. Membership provides numerous opportunities and benefits for our members as we are positioned to assist companies seeking to strategically market their goods and services.
Our corporate members receive on average of USD 2 million in PR value each year, in addition to our events and the reach of 12 500 on our database. Our member benefits are in place at a generously subsidized rate of between $2500 and $5000 to ensure Canada-Africa trade and investment is accelerated, driven by private sector leaders and companies. Two popular member benefits include an annual media release through the APO Group – with an average hit rate across 300 publications - and access to the 6ix investor platform, otherwise accessible to clients at $120 000 per year.
We are proud to ensure your market-driven solutions as a company are well-known and profiled in African markets and across Canada.
The Chamber's network spans Canada and Africa. We are an independent, non-profit organization, enjoying strong working links with both Canadian and African businesses and governments. Our membership rates are provided thanks to the generous support of several existing private sector members who sponsor the Chamber.
We do not receive government grant funding and thank our generous supporters for ensuring we can deliver our mission - as a proudly independent, Not-for-Profit organization, dedicated to accelerating trade and investment through world-class networking and information-sharing events.
We applaud our sponsors who make it all happen: Ivanhoe Mines, 6ix, APO Group, ARSP, Ausenco, B2Gold, Elephant Trade, Ethiopian Airlines, Lucara Diamond, Goodmans, Hatch, MEC Capital, MineAfrica and SDF Consulting. Our sponsors are essential to the Chamber's success.
We are proud to recognize APO Group, the Official Strategic Public Relations Partner of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business.
Visit the Q&A to learn more about the Chamber and membership, or email members@canadaafrica.ca
Check out our Recent Member Events - View the full list here
This week’s Chamber planning meeting with members of the Ottawa team, following engagements with Africa Accelerating sponsors, partners and new corporate members - on the road to the 2023 conference. Garreth Bloor (Chamber President), Ateau Zola (Business Development), and Susan Namulindwa (Chamber Vice President, Canada) joined the conversation.
Partner Event: East African Trade Mission to Nairobi - May 2023
Africa Trade Desk is a one-stop boutique consulting firm for Canadian and international companies, investors, and entrepreneurs that want to do business in Africa and vice versa. In May 2023, Africa Trade Desk is hosting its inaugural East African Trade Mission to Nairobi, Kenya. Read More
Best wishes from all of us!
Garreth Bloor (President), Samantha Mandigora (Head of Operations) Toye Abioye (Business Development and Partnerships)
Susan Namulindwa (Vice President, Canada), Jacques NdoutouMvé (Vice President, Africa)
Ateau Zola and Kweku Essien (Business Development)
About Us
President, Operations, Membership, Vice Presidents and Associates (queries@canadaafrica.ca)
Board of Directors (board@canadaafrica.ca)
Council of Senior Advisors (council@canadaafrica.ca)
Chamber Fellows & McGill Mastercard Interns (partnerships@canadaafrica.ca / fellowships@canadaafrica.ca)
Think Tank Perspectives and Free Trade Unit (thinktank@canadaafrica.ca / freetrade@canadaafrica.ca)
For more information, please contact:
The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business Head Office
55 Bloor Street West, RTO Manulife Building, PO Box 19553
Toronto, Ontario M4W 3T9 Tel: 647-667-1223 Email: members@canadaafrica.ca